Dragon’s Hidden Blessing & The Prince’s Garden
Visitor Summary
Location: Northeast Beijing (Lama Temple) & Shichahai Area (Prince Gong Mansion)
Key Feature: The unique transition from Prince’s residence to Imperial Palace to Buddhist Temple.
Historical Status: The largest Princely Mansion in Qing History.
Scenic Bonus: Includes a visit to the Shichahai Lake area.
The Tour Pathway
The Lama Temple (Yonghegong): Begin in the northeast corner of the city at this site, which boasts the same architectural specifications as the Forbidden City.
Prince Gong Mansion: Continue to the largest royal mansion of the Qing era, famously the former home of the corrupt official Heshen and later Prince Gong.
Shichahai Lakes: Conclude the tour with a relaxing visit to the scenic Shichahai area, a historic neighborhood surrounding three lakes.
General Introduction & History
The Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) This site has a fascinating history of transformation.
Origins: Built in 1694 during the Kangxi Emperor’s reign, it started as the residence for his fourth son, Prince Yong (Yong Qinwang).
Elevation: In 1725, after Prince Yong became Emperor Yongzheng, the residence was upgraded to a temporary imperial palace and renamed “Yonghe Palace”.
Religious Conversion: In 1744, during the Qianlong era, it was formally converted into a Lamaist (Tibetan Buddhist) monastery.
Prince Gong Mansion (Gongwangfu) A National Key Cultural Heritage site, this is the largest princely mansion from the Qing Dynasty.
The Owners: It was originally the residence of the infamous official Heshen, and later Prince Yonglin. In 1851, it was gifted to Prince Gong (Yixin), giving the mansion its current name.
Restoration: After the Qing dynasty fell, the property was once owned by Fu Jen Catholic University. The gardens opened to the public in 1988, and the entire mansion was fully opened in 2008 following major renovations.
Attractions & Fun Facts
1. The “Dragon’s Hidden Blessing”
Significance: The Lama Temple is known as a “Dragon’s Hidden Blessing” (Longqian Fudi) because it produced two emperors: Emperor Yongzheng lived here before ascending the throne, and Emperor Qianlong was actually born here.
Imperial Specs: Because of this high status, the temple’s halls were allowed to have yellow glazed tiles and red walls—the same exclusive architectural standards used in the Forbidden City.
2. The Changing Tiles
Visual History: When Emperor Yongzheng died in 1735, his coffin was placed here. To honor him, the main halls had their original green glazed tiles replaced with imperial yellow tiles.
3. A Mansion of Secrets
Prince Gong Mansion: As the former home of Heshen (reputed to be the wealthiest official in Chinese history), the mansion is a masterpiece of luxury. It is often said that “one Prince Gong Mansion is worth half the Qing history.”
Green to Gold: While the Lama Temple transitioned from green tiles to yellow (Imperial), Prince Gong’s mansion retains the green tiles typical of princes, yet its scale and garden design rival the imperial palaces.